Saturday 22 September 2007

Four in a bed means half of your family is on vacation!

I'm not really a cuddly sleeper. I relish the time I get to sleep ALONE in my bed, sprawled out to the four corners of the plushy feather bed. That's why I am so amazed when I read something like this from People Magazine:
We're Going to Need a Bigger Bed | Brad Pitt Brad Pitt says he and Angelina Jolie are going to need a bigger bed – for their expanding brood.

"We're not done," Pitt, 43, quipped, acknowledging public interest in the family's growth. "They say, 'Any plans for a fifth?' And I say, 'And a sixth, and a seventh, and an eighth, and a ninth.' That's my answer."

"We also made a 9-foot-wide bed" that fits him, Jolie, 32, and all four children, Pitt who is starring in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, told the Associated Press. "Just big enough. One more and we'll have to go to 11 feet."

Huh?  How on earth can you get any sleep like that?  We were thrown into co-sleeping when Sacha was born, even though we had never planned on doing it.  His cradle was right next to our bed, but he would not sleep in it, and he spent the whole night grunting and spitting up all over himself.  So Tony and I started taking turns propping ourselves on the couch and having Sacha sleep chest-to-chest, which seemed to be the only way he would do it.  After 2 and half months, we were both tired and had massive neck and back aches.  Massage therapy was a must.  We transitioned him to the crib for night time and he still napped with me until he hit the 5 month mark, then it was all crib.

I have nothing against co-sleeping, but I just cannot get past the logistics of doing it long term. Every now and then, I get a little teary over the thought of Sacha growing up and I bring him into bed with me in the wee hours of the morning, but I always regret it.  He kicks, squirms, slaps, talks and laughs in his sleep.  Not so much with the sleepytime cuddling.  This, added to the fact that I am a light sleeper who wants the whole bed to myself, makes for not so pleasant dreams and grumpy mornings.

In a way, I envy people that are comfortable enough to co-sleep indefinitely.  Then again, I will put it out there that I get a wee bit of the creepers when I read about teenagers crawling into bed with their parents.

Whatever cranks your wank, I guess.

How do you weigh in on the sleeping issue?

5 comments:

  1. That Brad thing is complete insanity. But really, how often is he actually sleeping in his own bed? I have a feeling if he was home every night this may lose its novelty after awhile.

    And you know where I am on the co-sleeping thing - I thought it would be fun to cuddle and sleep with Miss E. but she thinks it's party time and won't stop talking and kicking and generally doing everything but sleeping until I take her back to bed.

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  2. I am so with you on the sleeping issue. Cuddling is nice, but it seems like when I want to cuddle, the girl(s) just want to practice their kickboxing. Once they were each about four months old they started sleeping in their own crib. I need my space. (And space for Steve, of course.)

    And why do they always want to sleep at a perpendicular angle?

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  3. We did that whole sleeping on the couch thing with Cory because he was gassy and that was the only way he would sleep for more than 10 minutes at a time. But now he's in a separate room. He is a NOISY boy, including sleep!

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  4. Yeah true, I mean I can't sleep either if someone were to nudge me now and then.

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  5. i love my kids and all....and it's fun when we are all in bed together on a Saturday morning before breakfast...you know....for like 30 minutes....but every night? constructing a custom bed to fit you and all of your children???? that's a bit much for my taste!

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Thoughts? Comments? Questions?